Pressure regulating system



Feb. 22, 1944. J. E N 2,342,579

PRESSURE REGULATING SYSTEM Original Filed Sept. 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 22, 1944. J HAGEMANN 2,342,579

PRESSURE REGULATING SYSTEM Original Filed Sept. 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 22, 1944 to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Original application September 19, 1938, Serial 'No. 230,577, now *Patent 'No. 2,283,138, dated May '12, 1942.

Divided and this application ilanuary 22, 1942, :Serial No. 427,699

6 Claims.

This invention relates to turbine governing systems and parts thereof and more'particularly to such systems and parts especially adapted for regulating a relatively high pressure elastic fluid turbine arranged for operation in connection with an existing low pressure turbine system. I

The addition of a high pressure turbine unit,

boiler and turbine, to an existing steam plant represents a recent development in turbine systems which make possible the transformation of an antiquated power plant into a modern one with the least possible expense. However, in a system of this type the high pressure turbine, which is known as a superposed or top turbine, may operate under widely varying conditions which are primarily determined by the relative capacities of the superposed turbine and the existing system or that par-t'of the existing system which is in actual operation at any particular time. This necessitates employing a governing system for the superposed turbine which is capaable of regulating the turbine in response either to -(1) changes in load as determined by changes in speed or (2) variations in back pressure; i.'e changes in the pressure of the exhaust steam which is delivered'to the header supplying steam to low pressure turbines and which varies in response to pressure variations in the low pressure header.

A'governing system capable of regulating a supersposed turbine in the manner aforesaid necessarily comprises a speed responsive device and a pressure regulator cooperating to control the inlet valve or valves of the turbine andyin order to effect satisfactory regulation, it is essential that the pressure regulator be extremely lator must be so constructed and the means interconnecting the pressure regulator and the speed responsivedevice soj-cerrelated that such a changeover can be readily accomplished without effecting a sudden change in turbine load.

This feature, which is of particular importance,

is fully disclosed and claimed .in' my 'cope nding' application Serial 'No. 230,577, filed September 19., 1938, now P'atentilo. 2,283,138, granted May 12, 1942, of which this application is .a'divi'sion.

Pressure regulators have been .dev.eloped which operated in a satisfactory manner .for pressuresv in the vicinity of v100 pounds 'per :square inch,

but with the introduction .of the superposed turbine, the pressures .to be regulated -i. :e. the exhaust 101' back pressure, have been materially increased and are .now 20.0 pounds .persquar'e inch and higher and, as a result, known types iof regulators are incapable of maintaining "the pressure within the 'extremelynarrow limits tpermissibl'e pressure variation necessary ffOI satisfactory .regulation. The permissible pressure-variation decreases as the pressure tolbe:regulatedincreases and it is therefore essential that the regulator be extremely sensitive; i. e. a relatively small variation in the pressure to be :regulated should produce a iull stroke of the pressure re.- sponsive element which should also respond to incremental changes *in pressure in .order to be sensitive. The .sensitiveness of aupressure regulator can "be materially increased by enlarging the effective area of lthe ibellows or other surface exposed .to the :pressureto be regulated which necessitates increasing thelcounteracting or balancing force by reducing the scaleof the spring producing the counteracting or balancing-force which in turn necessitates increasing the size of the spring (more coils or larger diameter). However, these arrangements are impractical as they result in :a device of such large :physical dimensions as to be prohibitive.

The use of a weight to produce the necessary balancing force appears ideal since it does not introduce a scale. However, the most practical device for operation at pressures exceeding :200 pounds per square inch involves the use of a bellows and bellows satisfactory for operation at such pressures i. e. bellows with a irela'tivelysmall scale effect, generally have an effective area orapproximately 11 square inches which is subjected to the pressure to be'regulated There-' fore, if the Lnormal'value of the pressure to be regulated is 220 pounds per square inch, the force to be counteracted would be 2420 pounds (220 .11:). 'Such an arrangement necessitates the use of .a weight which .is-entirely too cumbersome for practical purposes or :if'a'lever .ar-'

rangement is usedin .order'to reduce the weight, it involves the use of a-h'eavil'yloaded knife edge which is also undesirable. Moreover, the mass effect of the weight necessitates the application of a relatively large force'in' order to obtain a sufiicient degree of acceleration to-avoid-slug-' gishness and when set in motion its momentum tends to produce overregulation and chattering.

This requires the application o'f-a suitabledamping means such as a dashpot mechanism actuated by movement of the weight and the use of a spring in the connection between the weight and the pressure responsive element and although these additions have improved the operation of such regulators, it is a known fact that the regulators vibrate and chatter excessively which is highly undesirable both from a maintenance and operating standpoint. Therefore, while a weight is perfect under static conditions, it should be obvious that under transient conditions a weight has certain material disadvantages because of its mass which renders its use undesirable, if not impractical.

Therefore, one of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved pressure regulating apparatus which is extremely sensitive and capable of maintaining the pressure to be regulated within the limits necessary for satisfactory operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved pressure regulator including a counteracting force producing means which has the advantages of a Weight under static conditions and which does not have the disadvantages produced by the mass effect of a weight under transient conditions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic counteracting force producing means for pressure regulators which is readily adjustable to produce desired variations in the counteracting force and which is inherently self-damping at all times.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hydraulic counteracting force producing means for pressure regulators which comprises a liquid column and means continuously flowing a fluid under pressure into contact with the top of the liquid column.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved non-chattering means for varying without appreciable pulsation the force exerted on a liquid column by a flow of liquid under pressure in contact with the top of the column.

The invention accordingly consists of the vari ous features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims and in the detailed description, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a governing system embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view of the pres' sure regulator and the means producing the counteracting force illustrated generally in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pressure regulating valve element.

. Referring to Fig. l, I represents a high pressure, superposed or top turbine having a steam admission conduit 2 in which is located a steam admission valve 3. An exhaust conduit 4 discharges the exhaust steam into a low pressure steam header which may be considered as including the exhaust conduit 4 as a part thereof which header is connected with one or more low pressure steam turbines in the usual manner. The header and low pressure turbines are omitted for the purpose of simplifying the disclosure. The steam admission valve 3 is controlled by means of a servomotor 6 comprising a cylinder '1, a double acting power piston 8 therein and a valve 9 controlling the flow of the actuating fluid through pipes I to the cylinder 1. The powerpiston'8 isoperatively connected with the valve 3 by means of a lever I2 having one end pivotally connected with the valve 3, its other end pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot'I3 and a pivotal connection intermediate its ends with the power piston -8.

A pressure regulator designated generally by the numeral I4 is operatively associated with the valve 9 by mechanism comprising a floating lever I5 connected intermediate its ends with the valve 9 and which has one end pivotally connected with the power piston 8 and its other end pivotally connected with one end of a link H, the other end of which is pivotally connected with one end of a floating lever I8. A link I9 has one end pivotally connected with the floating lever l8 intermediate its ends and its other end pivotally connected with one end of a lever 23 which is pivotally supported intermediate its end on a bracket 2i and has its other end pivotally connected with the operator 40 of the pressure regulator I4. A link 22 has one end connected to a lever 23 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on an adjustable fulcrum 24 and which has its other end pivotally connected with one end of a rod 29 which has its other end operatively associated with a speed responsive device 25. The speed responsive device is operatively connected with the turbine spindle by means of a shaft 21 and gearing 28. The adjustable fulcrum 24 comprises an internally threaded block 30 which is mounted on an externally threaded rod or shaft 32 mounted for rotation in a bearing structure 33 and which has attached thereto a hand wheel 34 for rotating the rod 32. The hand wheel 34 cooperates with the bearing structure 33 to prevent longitudinal movement of the rod 32. Stops 35 and 31 limit the upward and downward movement respectively of the block 30 in response to the rotation of the shaft 32.

The pressure regulator I4 comprises a pressure responsive device 38, a balancing force creating means 39 and a power operator 4'). Power operator 4B is of the servomotor type and includes a casing 42 substantially enclosing a double actin power piston 49 and a coaxial pilot valve structure I3 which may be of known construction and which has operatively associated with the exposed portion thereof a position indicating means designated 89, 90, 9| and 93. The detailed construction of the power operator and of the position indicating means, which are fully disclosed in my said copending application, are unnecessary for a complete understanding of this invention and have therefore been omitted in the interest of simplicity. In this connection, it is sufficient to point out that the exposed portion of the power piston 49 is pivotally connected at 83 with the lever 20, that the coaxial pilot valve I3 is operatively connected with the pressure responsive device 38, and that a movement of the pilot valve 13 effects an immediate and corresponding movement of the power piston 49.

The casing 42 has a laterally extending bracket I42 constituting a base or a supporting surface for the pressure responsive device 38; the base having therein a centrally disposed opening I43. A large bellows I44 including an annular carrier I45 having an outward and. laterally extending flange I46 thereon is mounted on the base I42 in concentric relation with the opening I43 therein, A casing I41, which is adapted to enclose the bellows I44, is provided at its bottom edge with an outwardly and laterally extending flange I48 which cooperates with the flange I 46 on the annular bellows carrier I45 and securely clamps the bellows I44 tothe base I42. The space between the inner wall of the casing I41 and the bellows I44 defines a pressure chamber I 39 having a fluid inlet passage I50 which communicates "by means of a pipe I52 with the fluid under pressure which is to be regulated. Disposed within the large bellows I44 is a relatively small bellows I53 which is mounted in coaxial alinernent with the opening 443 in the base 142 and has an elongated annular carrier 554 extending through the opening I43 :in the base I42 which carrier has an outward and laterally extending flange I55 abutting the undersurface of the-base I52. An annular clamping ring I56, which is secured to the base in any desired manner, cooperates with the flange I55 on thecarrier I54 to securely clamp the carrier I54 to the base M2. The large bellows I44 has a bellows cap I51 which has in its upper and lower surfaces centrally disposed recesses 1'58 and F59, respectively, which are in communication by means of an axially extending bore 169. The small bellows I53 has a bellows cap I62, the upper portion of which has an external diameter slightly less than the internal diameterof the recess I59 in the large bellows cap I51. The upper and lower surfaces of the bellows-cap 462 have centrally disposed internally threaded recesses I53 and 164, respectively. Ihe recess I63 is in ax ial alinement with the bore 160 in the large bellows cap I51 and the large and small bellows caps are secured together by means of a cap screw I65 which passes through the bore IE9 in the large bellows cap and 'threadably engages thesmall bellows cap by means-of the internally threaded recess I63.

The annular space existing between the large and small bellows constitutes a balancing pressurechamber I61 into which a fluid under pressure is admitted by means of passage I68 to which is connected at fluid supply pipe Q69. Depending from the base 142 is a bracket I'IB to which is pivotally connected one end of a lever 'I'II which has its opposite endoperatively connected with the lower end of the-pilot valve 13 in any suitable manner "(not shown). A rod I13 extends upwardly through the annular carrier I59 and has its upper, threaded end threadably engaged with the small bellows cap by means of the internally threaded recess I64 and its lower end pivotally connected to the lever I II intermediate the ends thereof.

The balancing force creating means designated generally by numeral 39 comprises means for establishing a, hydraulic column consisting of a lower closed vessel I'M, an upper closed vessel I75 and a pipe I13 connecting the upper and lower vessels and extending a material distance within and towards the bottom of the latter. A pipe I18 communicates with the top portion of-the lower vessel I'M and with the pipe I69 which includes a valve I89 for controlling the supply of a fluid such as water having a density materially less than that of themercury -or other fluid used to establish the hydraulic column. The valve I88 is normally closed during operation and is used for the purpose of adding additional fluid to replace that lost by leakage and for initially filling the sys tern when it is placed in operation. The counteracting force produced by the hydraulic column is varied by subjecting the top-of thecolumn, which'is maintainedin the vessel I15, toa variable fluid pressure. A suitable viscous iluid such as-oil is suppliedtothe vessel I'l5-bymeans of apipe IBI communicating with a source of fluidunder-pressure, a pressure i-regulator I82 and a'pip'e 183 connecting "the regulator I92 with the top of vessel I15. i

The pressure regulator I92 comprises a housing having a fluid inlet passage I84, a filter.

chamber I85, a passage I 38, a needle valve I81, a chamber 188, a pressure regulating valve I89 and a relatively large accumulating or pressure relieving chamber 190. The flow of fluid to the chamber 188 is-cont-rol le'd by "means of the needle valve I81 and the pressure within the chamber 198 is maintained at the desired value by means of theva'lve 1'99 controlling communication between chambers E89 :and I98. The fluid entering the chamber I99 flows there from through a pipe I92 which communicates with the chamber I99 amaterial distance above the valve- I89 and with a reservoir (not shown), thereby rendering chamber I 99 efiective to retain a predeterminedquantity of prssur'e relieved fluid therein. In other words, the enlargement constituting chamber I accumulates and retains therein a predetermined quantity of :pre'ssurerelieved fluid in an approximately quiescent :state. 1

The valve 189, reference also being had to Fig. 3, comprises a generally rectangular valve plate or disk I93 having On its under surface a depending thickened circular portion 194 ccoperating with an annular knifelike edge i95' constituting a valve seat. The end of lthe valve disk remote from the end having the depending seating surface thereon has rigidly secured thereto in spaced parallel relation a pair of rearwardly extending spring bars I95 which are in turn secured to a pair of bosses I91, constituting the fulcrum for the disk I93. Thev upper surface of the valve disk I93 is provided with a recess I99 d-isposedin coaxial relation with the valve seat 595 which .irecess has .its bottom surface shaped in the 1-form of an inverted cone. A spring retainer 200 has a depending centrally disposed stem .294 of less diameter than the' internal diameter of the recess I99 in the valve plate 199 which extends into the recess I99 and has its lower 'end shaped to conform with the bottom surface thereon The housing of the .pressure regulator 182 includes a rotatable internally threaded sleeve 202 disposed above the oil chamber I98 and in coaxial relation with lthe recess 99 in the valve plate I93; said sleeve being :provided with a hand wheel 203 :for rotating the same. An externally threaded rod 294 extends through the sleeve 292 and has its ends extending beyond the end portions of the said sleeve; The lower end portion of the rod 294 has secured thereto a-plate 296 having an opening therethrough which extends in parallel relation :to the rod 204. A fixed pin 298 extends downward through the opening 291 in the plate 296 whereby the 'rod'2fl4is prevented from rotating when theisleeve 292 is rotated. The lower end of the rod 2M :is provided with a recess 2 99, which is similar to the recess I99 in the valve plate I93, and a spring retainer =2-I I, which is provided with a centrally disposed stem 2 I2 of less diameter than the recess'299, is mounted with the stem 2I2 extending within the recess 299. A compression spring '2I3 is mounted with its lower end supported on the spring retainer 299 and itsupper end engaging the spring retainer 2' whereby rotation of'the hand wheel 203 produces an axialmov'ement of the rod 294 to vary the compression of the spring 2I-3 which constitutes the primary bias'in'g means for the valve I89. Stops 2I4 and 2I6 are provided for limiting the upward and downward movement, respectively, of the rod 204.

The valve disk I93 cooperates with the pressure relieved viscous fluid retained in a quiescent state in accumulating chamber I90 to eliminate chattering or vibration of the valve, an inherent defect in regulating valve arrangements, which quickly destroys the valve seat and renders the valve inoperative to maintain the pressure within the narrow limits necessary for satisfactory operation. In the usual arrangement, a sudden increase in pressure produces an extremely rapid opening of the valve thereby accelerating the valve mechanism and, due to the momentum or kinetic energy effect, the valve is opened much wider than if the pressure were increased gradually. The energy which is stored in the biasing spring then acts to move the valve toward its closed position and as a result the system chatters or oscillates and tends to produce pulsations in the pressure of the fluid in addition to the destructive efiects previously stated. In order to eliminate this common defect, it is essential to produce a damping effect sufficient to prevent the valve from opening wider upon a sudden increase in pressure than it would open if the pressure were increased gradually. This result is accomplished by rendering the valve, disk I93, inherently self-damping by submerging the disk 193 in the pressure relieved quiescent liquid retained in accumulating chamber I90 whereby its movement is always resisted by a quiescent body of viscous fluid contained therein and, while the responsiveness of the valve will vary with changes in viscosity, it has been determined empirically that, in order to obtain satisfactory results, the area of the surface acted upon by the viscous fluid to retard the valve movement must be at least five times greater than the area of the surface acted upon by the fiuid under pressure to produce an opening movement of the valve.

The operation of the pressure regulator illustrated by Fig. 2, assuming that the pressure to be regulated increases slightly, is as follows: The large bellows I44 is slightly compressed and, since the large bellows I44 and the small bellows I53 are secured together as a unit, the rod I13 moves downward and moves the lever I1I in a clockwise direction about its fixed pivot point on the bracket I and effects a simultaneous downward movement of the pilot valve 13 which in turn effects a corresponding movement of the power piston 49. The piston 49 and the valve member 13 are now in the usual neutral position assumed by apparatus of this type and no further movement of either the valve member 13 or the piston 49 will occur until the pressure to be regulated again changes or the means producing the counteracting force is varied by turning the hand wheel 203. Upon a decrease in pressure, the operation is similar to that just described, the only difference being that the valve member 13 and the piston 49 are moved upward instead of downward. Movement of the piston 49 is transmitted through a system of levers such as shown in Fig.

1 to the turbine admission valve or valves.

The use of an inner bellows I53 cooperating with a larger bellows I44to form therebetween a counteracting pressure chamber eliminates the use of a seal or gland about the rod I13 which materially increases the sensitiveness of the regulator by eliminating the friction inherently produced when a gland or other stationary means contacts a movingpart to-provide an effective fluid seal. The simultaneous compression of the bellows I44 and I53 in response to an increase in pressure necessarily displaces some fluid from the chamber I61, but since the bellows I44 and I53 move simultaneously, the actual displacement is a minimum as the compression of bellows I53 tends to maintain the volume of chamber I61 constant. In addition, only a slight movement of the bellows I44 and I53, approximately 0.09 of an inch, is necessary in order to obtain a full stroke of the power operator which also aids in maintaining the actual displacement of fluid at a minimum. Moreover, since the inside diameter of the vessel I15 is six inches, the increase in the height of the hydraulic column efiected by a movement of the bellows sufiicient to produce a full stroke of the regulator is less than 0.04 inch and the resulting pressure increase, which is comparable to the scale effect of a spring, is less than 0.02 of a pound per square inch.

The efiective area of bellows I44 which is sub- .jected to the pressure to be regulated is 11.8 square inches and the effective area subjected to the counteracting force is 10.6 square inches. Therefore, if the no load back pressure is 220 pounds per square inch, the actual force which must be counteracted is 220 l1.8 or 2596 pounds and the balancing pressure required equals 2596 divided by 10.6 or 245 pounds per square inch. 2.04 inches of mercury produces a pressure of one pound per square inch which necessitates, neglecting friction and the spring effect of bellows I44 and I 53, the use of a hydraulic column of mercury 42 feet in height in order to produce the requisite balancing pressure. The inside diameter of pipe I16 connecting the vessels I14 and I15 is one-fourth of an inch and its cross sectional area is approximately 0.047 square inch. Consequently, the mass of mercury necessary to produce the requisite pressure is approximately 11.6 pounds and, if for purposes of illustration, it is assumed that the water pipes I09 and I18, which are one-half inch inside diameter, are twice the length of the mercury column, pipe I15, (the length employed in actual practice is usually about one-fourth that assumed) it is obvious that the total mass of the fluid moved in response to a full stroke movement of the pressure responsive device is approximately 11.6

pounds plus (2) (4) (11.6) divided by 13.6 which is the approximate weight of the water contained in pipes I69 and I18 since the volume of the water is approximately eight times the volume of the mercury contained in pipe I16 and since the 1' density of mercury is 13.6 times that of water or only 18.4 pounds as compared to 2596 pounds when a weight is directly applied. Thus it is seen that the mass effect of the disclosed arrangement is materially less than that encountered when a weight is directly applied to the pressure responsive device.

The inherent damping effect of a hydraulically balanced system, particularly when modified by the use of a throttling constriction or valve or by a proper selection of the pipe sizes employed to obtain the desired degree of damping,

eliminates the use of a dashpot and spring arrangement which is necessary to reduce the chattering effect which is always produced when a weight is employed to create the necessary counteracting force. In this connection, particular attention is directed to the fact that it is essential, in order to obtain satisfactory damping in a regulator system of this type, that the liquid in the system must not act to cause, or permit WI V1 whereas when a smaller weight and a lever arrangement is used the kinetic energy imparted, which is WI V1 12 2g is increased due to the fact that ll R and V2=RVL Moreover a lever arrangement operable with a mass of approximately fourteen pounds would require a lever of more than one hundred eighty five inches in length, which would render such an arrangement impractical,

In connection with the foregoing, it should be understood that while hand wheels or the like have been described and illustrated for adjusting the fulcrum 24 and the counteracting force varying means, it is contemplated that such adjustments can be readily made, if desired, by means of motors and gearing which may or may not be remotely and automatically controlled as such variations can be readily eifected by any one skilled in the art. The invention is applicable to pressure regulating apparatus of various types and it should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and mode of operation herein disclosed as numerous variations within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, regulating apparatus including an element responsive to variations in the pressure of a fluid to be regulated, a liquid column acting on and opposing movement of said element in response to an increase in the pressure of said fluid, means for conducting a liquid under pressure into contact with the top of said liquid column, means defining an enlarged pressure relieving chamber communicating with the top of said liquid column and adapted to retain a predetermined quantity of pressure relieved liquid therein, and means for regulating the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column comprising a valve controlling communication between said chamber and the top of said liquid column and including an actuating part responsive to the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column and a damping part submerged in the pressure relieved liquid retained in said chamher.

2. In combination, regulating apparatus including an element responsive to variations in the pressure of a fluid to be regulated, a liquid column acting on and opposing movement of said ele- LII ment in response to an increase in the pressure of said fluid, means for conducting. a liquid under pressure into contact with the top of said liquid column, means defining an enlarged pressure relieving chamber which communicates with the top of said liquid column, and is adapted to retain in anv approximately quiescent state therein a predetermined quantity of pressure relieved liquid, and means for regulating the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column comprising avalve controlling-,- communication between said chamber andthe top OI: said liquid column and including an actuating pal-rt responsive to the pressure of the liquidacting 0n the top of saidliquid column and a, damping pantsubmerged in the pressure relieved liquid retained in said chamber.

3. In combination, regulating apparatus including an element responsive to variations in the pressure of a fluid to be regulated, a liquid column acting on and opposing movement of said element in response to an increase in the pressure of said fluid, a source of liquid under pressure independent of the fluid to be regulated, means for conducting liquid under pressure from said source into contact with the top of said liquid column, means defining a pressure relieving chamber communicating with the top of said liquid column and adapted to retain a predetermined quantity of pressure relieved liquid therein, and means for regulating the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column comprising a valve controlling communication between said chamber and the top of said liquid column and including an actuating part responsive to the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column and a damping part submerged in the pressure relieved liquid retained in said chamber.

4. In combination, regulating apparatus including an element responsive to variations in the pressure of a fluid to be regulated, a liquid column acting on and opposing movement of said element in response to an increase in the pressure of said fluid, means for conducting a liquid under ressure into contact with the top of said liquid column, means defining a pressure relieving chamber communicating with the top of said liquid column and adapted to retain a predetermined quantity of pressure relieved liquid therein, and means for regulating the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column comprising a valve for controlling communication between said chamber and the top of said liquid column, said valve being submerged in the pressure relieved liquid retained in said chamber and presenting an actuating surface subjected to the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column and a damping surface having an eifective area at least five times greater than the area of said actuating surface.

5. In combination, regulating apparatus including an element responsive to variations in the pressure of a fluid to be regulated, a liquid column acting on and opposing movement of said element in response to an increase in the pressure of said fluid, means for conducting a liquid under pressure into contact with the top of said liquid column, means defining a pressure relieving chamber communicating with the top of said liquid column and adapted to retain a predetermined quantity of pressure relieved liquid therein, and means for regulating the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column comprising a valve controlling communication between said chamber and the top of said liquid column, said valve being submerged in the pressure relieved liquid retained in said chamber and presenting an actuating surface subjected to the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said column and a damping surface disposed approximately at right angles to the direction of valve movement.

6. In combination, regulating apparatus including an element responsive to variations in the pressure of a fluid to be regulated, a liquid column acting on and opposing movement of said element in response to an increase in the pressure of said fluid, means for conducting a liquid under pressure into contact with the top of said liquid column, means defining a pressure relieving chamber communicating with the top of said liquid column 15 and adapted to retain a predetermined quantity of pressure relieved liquid therein, and means for regulating the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column comprising a valve controlling communication between said chamber and the top of said liquid column, said valve being submerged in the pressure relieved liquid retained in said chamber and presenting an actuating surface subjected to the pressure of the liquid acting on the top of said liquid column and a damping surface disposed approximately at right angles to the direction of valve movement and having an effective area at least five times greater than the area of said actuating surface.

JOHN R. HAGEMANN. 

